Police in Lilongwe arrest 2025 General Elections voter for registering twice

* Wiseman Enock managed to register twice because the second registration was done on a different gadget from the first one

* The registration machine is designed to to detect and prevent multiple registrations on the same gadget, whether it is online or offline

By Duncan Mlanjira

Police in Lilongwe have arrested Wiseman Enock for registering twice during the ongoing 2025 General Elections voter registration exercise in the Capital City.

A statement from Sangwani Mwafulirwa, director-media & public relations for Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says Enock was apprehended at Msambeta School immediately after he registered for the second time yesterday, December 8.

“While expressing MEC’s “deep concern” of the breach, Mwafulirwa reported that Msambeta School, like some other registration centers, has three teams for voter registration.

Mwafulirwa reports that “Enock managed to register twice because the second registration was done on a different gadget from the first one. The registration machine is designed to to detect and prevent multiple registrations on the same gadget, whether it is online or offline.

“If Enoch had attempted to register a second time using the same machine, the system would have flagged him immediately, and the registration would have been rejected.”

He adds that “while it is possible for someone to register multiple times during the field registration process because they are doing it on different devices, such instances are identified and resolved during the de-duplication process”.

“Immediately the data reaches the server, duplicates are identified. The Commission investigates each case and takes appropriate measures.

“The system uses national ID number and advanced biometric technology, including fingerprints to detect and remove duplicate records. This ensures that each voter is registered only once in the final voters’ roll, preserving the integrity of the electoral process.

“Use of the national ID number and biometrics also catches those that might have registered using different names,” reports Mwafulirwa, while assuring the public that MEC system “is not porous but robust and capable of detecting duplicates, ensuring that the final voter register is free of multiple entries.

The public is thus reminded that registering more than once is a serious electoral offense punishable by law, warning: “While all cases of double registration will be identified and resolved through this rigorous process, any individual attempting to exploit the system for personal or political gain is committing a crime and will be held accountable under the law.

“The Commission urges everyone to respect the principles of fair and transparent elections by adhering to the guidelines and laws governing voter registration.

“The public is reminded of the case of Mr. Bisias Elton Nkhoma, who was recently found guilty of registering twice in Blantyre City and the court ordered him to pay a fine of K200,000 or face two years of imprisonment.

MEC further commits to upholding electoral integrity to “maintaining a transparent, inclusive, and accountable voter registration process and appeals to all eligible voters to register only once, as required by law, and to cooperate with its processes”.

“Attempts to manipulate the registration process, whether through multiple registrations or other fraudulent activities will not be tolerated.”